Hey, You
by pottermum
Summary: Two New Year's Eve's, set years apart, that Harry nearly misses but he's very glad he didn't. Potter family fluff.


New Year's Eve 2005

Harry Potter apparated to the edge of his property, relieved to feel the wards around his home were secure. Never had he needed to know his family were safe as much as he did that night.

As he passed through the wards, he looked up to his front door. Someone, Ron probably, had cleared the path of the heavy snowfall, although the current snow was already covering it again. Ron was the one he always asked to watch over Ginny and James while he was away on an Auror assignment and he knew Ron took that seriously. But really, it could have been any of the Weasley men, even Arthur, who had checked in on Ginny and shovelled the path.

Just a few more steps and he'd be inside his home. He glanced up, it was close to midnight but he could see a light on in his and Ginny's bedroom, no doubt she was waiting for him; he'd sent his Patronus when he'd arrived back at the Ministry two hours ago, but she knew he'd still have to write a report and speak to his superiors.

He took of his cloak and stored it in the cupboard near the front door. A low light was on in the kitchen and, as he made his way there, he saw the Christmas tree was losing more pine needles and that Luna's gift was still there, looking lonely now that the other presents had been distributed, for she wasn't expected home till after the new year.

Ginny had left a plate of Shepherd's Pie under a warming charm for him, with a note saying there was a slice of treacle tart in the fridge. But he'd grabbed a couple of stale sarny's from the staff fridge and drunken copious amount of coffee as he sat dictating his report, while every inch of his mind and body screamed to be home with his family, to be surrounded by love, by goodness and innocence. So he bypassed the food and took a moment to breathe in and decompress.

_I'm home. I'm home._

The horrors of these type of cases stayed with him for ages, for he still hadn't learned the knack to lock the memories away of what he'd seen and heard on the cases, even when he handed the 'Case Closed' reports over for filing. He'd mull over the worse ones for days when he knew he shouldn't.

He headed upstairs and paused, debating whether to have another shower or not, for he'd already had one at the Auror training room, needing to wash away the dirt and grime, both literally and metaphorically.

He ventured down the hall. James' bedroom door was ajar and he carefully pushed it open, needing to see his son. However, he wasn't expecting to see him playing with toys on his bedroom floor.

James looked up, his eyes lighting up at the sight of his dad.

"Daddy!" He stood and toddled over to him, hugging Harry's knees.

Harry lifted him into his arms and hugged him, perhaps too tightly, for James squirmed to be let down.

"Hello Jamesy," crooned Harry softly. He put his son down and watched him walk back to his toys, picking up his toy Hogwarts Express, a gift from Neville.

"Daddy play?" he asked, showing him his favourite Christmas gift.

"Tomorrow, son. It's very late and you should be asleep," said Harry, sitting on the edge of his son's bed. He patted the pillow encouragingly.

Stubborn James shook his head. " No bed. Daddy play, no go 'way 'gen."

"I'll just be down the hall, sleeping with mummy," said Harry, feeling a pang.

James nodded. "I tell mummy I want daddy to stay home. She say yes, me too."

Overloaded with guilt, Harry brought James onto his knee. James cuddled against him.

"I love you, James," whispered Harry, his throat suddenly thick.

"I love you, Daddy, and mummy and baby and grandma and grandpa and Misty the cat and my Hogwarts train and choclit and Uncle Ron and –"

"Okay, okay, I get the point," chuckled Harry, pressing his lips to the top of James' forehead. "Have you been a good boy for mummy?"

James nodded. "I washded Misty with me in the baff but she didn't like that. And I ate mummy's choclits cos she said she shouldn't have any more, but then she cried and I had a tummy ache." He rubbed his tummy at the memory.

" I see."

James was an exuberant toddler and certainly kept him and Ginny on their toes. They had to be quite specific in their instructions to him, because James always seemed to find the loophole in each one.

" - and so I frew it away," finished James.

Harry shook his head, looking around his son's room for something amiss. "Threw what away?"

"Nuffing." James tried to look innocent when he realised his father hadn't heard what he had done.

"James Sirius." Harry tried to appear stern. " Did you tell mummy?"

James shrugged. "Mummy was sleeping, growing the baby!"

Was it possible this seventeen month old knew just what to say to pull at his heartstrings. He needed to see Ginny, to know all was well.

"Let's go see mummy, shall we?" asked Harry, and when James nodded, he picked his son up and went to his own bedroom.

The light he'd seen from outside glowed brighter when he pushed the door open, only to see Ginny sitting up, caressing her swollen belly.

"Mummy, look, daddy's home," yelled James, excitedly.

"Quiet voice, James," said Ginny, holding her arms out for her son. Her eyes met Harry's as he handed their son over to her. "Hey, you."

As James nestled against her, Harry leaned closer.

"Hey you," he replied, and their lips met.

It may have a kiss that lasted a few seconds but it was the spark Harry needed to finally relax.

" I'm just going to have a quick shower, okay? Be right back." He disappeared into their en-suite.

She nodded, not saying anything. She knew he would have showered at the ministry; the Aurors had a top notch training facility that Harry used often.

She heard a soft chuckle, and assumed he'd found the clean pyjamas and fresh towel she'd left out for him.

Not even five minutes later, he was back, towelling his hair dry. James was asleep, his thumb in his mouth.

"He said he threw something out," Harry told her.

Ginny nodded, watching Harry pacing around. "His night time nappy. He hates it, wants to be a big boy like Teddy. Says nappies are just for the new baby."

Harry checked the wards on the windows, just as he had done in the bathroom and James' room, but at the mention of the new baby, he really looked at her.

Her top was rolled up under her larger than normal breasts, and she had on a pair of his boxers, leaving her large baby bump exposed. She fanned herself but her eyes didn't miss a detail on Harry's mood.

"Harry, come here," she urged, holding out her hand, turning on her side to make room.

As James was next to her on his side, he basically spooned the other side, where there wasn't much room. His hands went to her bump, feeling his second child moving around.

"As soon as you walked in the door," whispered Ginny, placing her hands over his," this one woke up."

"James was playing on the floor of his bedroom," confessed Harry.

'They've missed their daddy," said Ginny softly.

Harry's hand came up to cup her jaw and turn her head so he could kiss her properly.

"All right?" she asked, her eyes roaming his face, seeing the stress and fatigue still there.

"Nothing a few days off work won't fix," he assured her.

"Good. We all need you here," she told him.

He slid down the bed and she rolled onto her back, her fingers running through his hair as he caressed and kissed her bump.

As the fatigue finally hit, he moved to his usual side of the bed. Ginny moved James so he could slide in, but there was a wet patch on the bed.

Ginny shrugged. "I never said he was _ready_ to get rid of the night time nappy."

She grabbed her wand to clean, sanitise and dry the bed, and Harry slid in. James immediately turned to cuddle against him and Ginny turned onto her side to look at them both.

"I love you," she said simply, " now go to sleep."

With Ginny's face the last thing he saw, he fell asleep, completely at ease.

Despite relief that Harry was home, the baby wasn't letting Ginny get much rest, so she watched over her boys as they slept.

'_And Heaven help anyone from the ministry that owls in the morning, looking for Harry, or they'll have me to deal with, eight months pregnant or not!'_ she thought, before she finally succumbed to sleep.

New Year's Eve 2022

It was very rare these days that Harry was called away for a case but this particular case was one they'd been dealing with most of the last six months, involving a lot of liasing between him and his counterparts in both Belgium and Rome, where leads seemed to be connected with London. So when the call came late Christmas Eve that something was going down, he knew he had to be among the team to go.

His kids and his mother-in-law had protested but his wife, the only one outside the ministry to know what exactly was involved, had kissed him, held onto him for more seconds than usual, and sent him off with a warning to be careful and hurry home.

"One out of two isn't too bad," he muttered wearily to himself, running a hand over his was a knock at his office door.

He looked up, then stood, as Hermione entered. "Hey, I'm just about to start my reports," he told her.

She shook her head. "Go home, Harry," she chided, " and I don't want to see you back here for at least twenty four hours. No, forty eight," she corrected.

"But my report," he protested, stopping as she shook her head.

"It can wait, this can't." She took some parchment out of her pocket and began to read.

_'Dear Minister for Magic, also known as our dear Aunt Hermione, please send my dad home ASAP (James said to add that). I know he's helping other people and it's important (Teddy told me so) but I miss him terribly. Love, your niece, Lily Luna Potter.' _

Harry's throat thickened at the thought of his daughter missing him. "I-" he began, but Hermione continued.

_'PS Mum doesn't know I'm sending this (Al said you should know this) but I know she misses him most of all. If you do this for us, your favourite niece and nephews, including your very own godson, then you won't have to give us a homework planner for the rest of our Hogwarts days (James suggested this, I quite like mine, but I would rather have my dad home) Lily xxx_

" Your family is resorting to emotional blackmail," she said dryly but her face softened as she looked at one of her oldest and dearest friends. "Go home, Harry."

"You're sure?" he asked uncertainly. He checked the time, nearly seven o'clock.

"Go, Harry, tell Ginny and the kids I wish them all a happy new year. And tell my godson he's getting an extra large homework planner this year, what with NEWTS and all." She winked and waved as she left his office.

Unlike the Harry of old, this Harry wasted no time gathering his things and preparing to go home, to the very same house they'd lived in for twenty years or so.

As usual, he'd apparated outside the gates, outside the wards.

He walked through and began the walk up the front path. A path had been shovelled, possibly by James but more likely Teddy or Albus, but the snowfall was covering it again. He was about to enter when he heard voices from the back yard.

He ventured round the back, only to find James flinging garden gnomes quite forcibly. As Harry watched, he picked up a struggling one and pitched it right over the farthest fence.

To Harry's knowledge it was the furthest James had ever thrown it, and judging by James' reaction, he was right. James spun around, face alight.

"Hey did you see that – ?" he began, when he spotted Harry, leaning against the wall. "DAD!"

Harry dropped his case and took a step or two, only just opening his arms in time before James came bounding over to him, hugging him tight.

"I just knew you'd come home soon, it's been ages since you've been gone for work this long, hey Al, come see, didn't I tell you?" he yelled, as he continued to hug his father.

From over James' shoulder, Harry saw Albus sitting on the back steps, ear buds in his ear, so undoubtedly he had not heard a word James had said.

Yet, as if he felt eyes on him, he looked up and around, mouth falling open as he saw his dad and brother. He scrambled to pull his ear buds out and hurry over.

"DAD! James, it's Dad! Hey, Lil, it's Dad!" he yelled, hurrying over.

Harry heart threatened to burst, after all it was only last year that things had seemed so bad between him and Albus, what with Delphi, the whole time turner incident had happened and then Godric's Hollow and his parents...

James stepped aside, grinning, as Albus hurled himself at his dad. He patted them both on the shoulders as Albus babbled incoherently on Harry's shoulder.

"Can't believe you're actually here," he finally said, his voice muffled against Harry's chest.

"Said the boy who went back in time," quipped James.

Harry and Albus both groaned and looked at James, who flung his arms over both their shoulders, grinning cheekily.

They all looked over as the back door opened and Lily Luna stepped out, looking grumpy.

"What's all the – DADDY!" Lily jumped off the steps and raced over to Harry, arms outstretched all the way.

Laughing, Harry picked her up and twirled her around like he had done when she was two, when she was four and even seven.

"Daddy, stop," she giggled, and he did, kissing the top of her head. She hugged him tightly.

"I missed you so much," she said. "I even wrote the Minister for Magic a letter."

"I know, Aunt Hermione read it to me," he replied." He hugged her again, whispering, "darling girl," in her ear.

"Hey Teddy, look, dad's home," yelled James, waving his arm and pointing to Harry.

"I see that, James," chuckled Teddy, " any reason you won't let him in the house?"

Laughing, James picked up Harry's briefcase, and with Albus under one arm and Lily the other, Harry and his kids made their way to the back door.

Teddy had stepped down, waiting. Albus stepped aside and Lily did too, as godfather and godson embraced.

"I heard it ended well," said Teddy quietly. He was a trainee auror, in his second year.

"Mmm. A bit messy in the middle, yeah, which is why I need to stay longer, but ended with a string of arrests, some from right here in London," nodded Harry. He looked around. "Everything been all right here?"

He knew all his kids confided in Teddy from time to time and that they all considered him their big brother.

Teddy nodded. "Well, James – " before the boy himself protested loudly. "Hey!"

Someone behind Teddy coughed politely. Teddy stepped aside and finally Harry saw Ginny.

She was dressed casually, in jeans and one of his old shirts. No make up and hair up in a messy bun, with her wand holding it in place.

" Hey, you," she said, but her eyes said a whole lot more.

"Erm, I'm going to go and let grandma know you're back," said Teddy, looking between Harry and Ginny, whose eyes were locked on each other. "Want me to let Molly and Arthur know?"

Ginny tore her eyes away from Harry for a second. "That'd be great, thanks, Teddy." he nodded and Apparated away.

Harry left the kids standing there and walked towards Ginny. She stepped down a step so they were at the same height.

"Hey, you," he said, then cupped her face in his hands and kissed her thoroughly.

" Woah, woah, impressionable young children here, Mum, Dad," protested James, covering both Lily's and Albus' eyes with his hand.

"Stop it, James, not like we haven't seen them before," muttered Albus, brushing his brother's hand away.

"Do you know what this means?" asked Lily, excitedly. "Christmas presents!" She ran past them and up the stairs, into the house.

"Hey yeah, come on," urged James, and he and Albus hurried after Lily.

Harry and Ginny finally broke apart, breathing heavily. Ginny brushed his fringe aside and kissed his forehead, right next to his scar.

He breathed in her scent, his head resting on her shoulder, his nose and lips buried against her neck.

"Everything been all right?" he asked softly.

"Oh, you know, the usual Potter madness," she quipped gently. She tickled his beard. "Better now though."

James appeared behind them. "Come ON," he urged, before disappearing back inside.

Ginny smiled, indicating with her head that they should follow their eldest son.

James had dumped his dad's bag in the hall, so Harry picked it up on their way to the lounge, where his children now waited.

"What? The presents...they're still here?" he asked, confused.

Ginny smiled. "You don't think we'd open presents without you, do you?"

"You waited all this time?" he asked her, surprised. Their kids loved ripping into their presents on Christmas morning and Harry loved seeing their faces light up in joy. It was one thing he had really thought about while he was away.

"We still went to the Burrow and pigged out though," James assured him.

"But it just didn't feel right to open presents without you here. Besides, you have a pile too," said Albus, nodding at a small pile. He gestured to one in particular. "Be careful with that one, it's from James," he whispered loudly.

" Come on, what are we waiting for?" urged Lily, a present already in her hand. She read the tag and her face fell. "It's for Teddy, do we now have to wait for him?"

"Teddy's been staying here since Christmas night," Ginny told Harry quietly.

"We'll make a Teddy pile," suggested James. He handed one to Lily. "Here, happy Christmas."

Lily took it and hugged James. He squirmed to get away, grabbing another present and then throwing it to Albus, who caught it neatly. He read the name on the tag.

"This says Scorpius, not Albus," he retorted.

" So, bring him over," suggested James, " he's your boyfriend, isn't he? Besides, I think I see a Scorpius pile of presents too."

"Really? He'd love that. I'll go owl him," said Albus, his face alight. He stopped in front of his parents. "Mum, Dad, is that okay?"

"Of course, love," assured Ginny, who had grown to love Scorpius for the kind and gentle boy he was, and for making Albus so happy, especially this last year. "And message Teddy to return as soon as possible."

"ASAP," yelled Lily. She and James high fived. "Well, it worked."

"About that..." began Harry, ignoring the many presents that now lay on his lap. "No more letters to the ministry, young lady." He tried to appear stern as the family cat , Misty the second, jumped on his lap, seeking his attention, and he fussed over her for a bit.

Lily was not upset, she was a daddy's girl and she knew it.

"Well, don't go away for so long again," she replied cheekily.

Harry sighed and looked at James. He tried to appear innocent.

"I simply sent my dear godmother and aunt a letter, enquiring about her health and the health and well being of the Auror department, and the head Auror in particular. Is there something wrong with that?" he asked grandly.

" It is when your dear godmother and aunt is also the minister for magic," said Harry, dryly.

"Hey, if you can't use family connections to find out stuff, what's the point?" shrugged James. He ripped some paper off a present. "Cool, thanks, Mum, Dad."

"Aren't you going to open your presents?" Ginny asked Harry.

"I really don't want to let go of you, to be honest," he told her truthfully. The cat was draped over his legs and his arm was around her.

"I'll be here, at your side," she assured him, patting his knee. She opened a present of her own.

"James, I do not need a "_Cooking for Dummies'_ book," she said, exasperated. "Not when I've got your dad around."

The Floo lit up and Scorpius stepped out, immediately trying to dodge both presents and discarded wrapping paper.

"Merry Christmas finally, Potters," he said, as his eyes searched and found the Potter that was his.

"Merry Christmas Scorpius," they all chorused, then James and Lily hooted as Albus and Scorpius kissed hello.

"Oh, grow up," said Albus, " just because you don't have a girlfriend or a boyfriend."

"I could if I wanted to," defended James, " but I have decided to dedicate the rest of the year to my NEWT studies."

"Good, because Aunt Hermione has a new homework planner for you," teased Harry. "Bigger and better than ever."

"James could have a girlfriend if he wanted. I know lots of girls, and a few boys, who like him," said Lily.

"Really?" James sat up, suddenly interested. "Tell me their names."

"What happened to dedicating your life to your NEWTS?" teased Albus.

"Newt? Newt Scamander, you mean? Never met the man, but dear Auntie Luna swears he's a pip!" mocked James.

" Dad can we make Christmas biscuits together?" asked Lily. " I know we made some before you left but can we bake some more...please?"

"Sure, Lily," chuckled Harry, then realised, "er, guys, it's actually New Year's Eve. Aren't we supposed to go to Uncle Percy's house tonight?"

"The presents are done, I suppose we could go for a bit," conceded Ginny.

"Dad, is it okay if Scorpius and I stay here?" asked Albus.

"Should be fine. Ginny?" asked Harry.

"Of course you can," said Ginny. She yawned. "I don't think we'll stay too long after midnight though."

" Come on then, let's get ready," sighed Harry, letting Lily help him off the sofa.

/*/*/*/*

Ron Weasley stepped out of the Floo into the Potter's lounge. Immediately a figure stepped in front of him, preventing him from going any further.

"Sorry Uncle Ron, I can't let you," said a truly apologetic Teddy.

"Is everything all right? When they didn't turn up to Percy's I got worried. Hermione said she sent Harry home a few hours ago," asked Ron in concern.

"They're all fine, they just..." he sighed and stepped aside for Ron to see for himself.

Harry and Ginny were sound asleep, dressed in nice clothes, leaning against each other. Lily was asleep at their feet and James was curled in a ball under the tree, snoring lightly, Misty curled against him.

"Albus?" asked Ron quietly.

Teddy turned red. "He and Scorpius are up in his room. I, er, may have walked in on something."

"Been there with those two," chuckled Ron, looking at Harry and Ginny. He patted Teddy on the back. "You're a good lad, watching over them."

Teddy shrugged. "They're my family."

"Too bloody right. Well then, happy new year to you," said Ron, and the two men shook hands. "Vic was looking for you tonight, by the way. Thought you two had called it quits?"

"We, um, may be trying to work things out," admitted Teddy.

"Good lad, can't go wrong with a Weasley woman. Look at my mum, look at Ginny," he said, nodding in her direction. "Well, must be off, we'll see you soon. Swing by the shop sometime."

"Bye, Uncle Ron," said Teddy, and he closed and secured the Floo.

So it certainly wasn't the conventional Christmas or New Years celebration that they had been expecting but it was one they always remembered; years later they referred to it as the Christmas Fiasco of 2022.

"Hey, remember that Christmas dad was away for work, and he didn't return till New Years Eve?" one would say.

"You Potter's will do anything to get out of going to Perce's," chuckled Ron.

Hermione had to fix the bat bogeys and give him a calming potion after that. They weren't getting any younger these days.

Or

"What about that time Lily wrote to the Minister for Magic to please send her daddy home?"

Albus woke to pink eyebrows that stayed on for a week after that.

or

"Hey, what about the time Teddy walked in on Albus doing _that_ to Scorpius? Which time? That terrible New Years Eve that dad was away."

James woke up bald the next morning. Sadly for Albus, he embraced the look, adding a stuffed parrot that sat on his shoulder and a garrish gold earring that he assured his mother was fake.

But more than anything, that terrible Christmas with Harry away reinforced the feelings of family, the feelings of tradition but also of embracing the changes that we cannot stop from happening, even if we wanted to.

After all, life is a gift. We can't change yesterday, we aren't promised tomorrow but today, today is the present.

As for today, Harry considers himself the luckiest bloke in the world, for the family he has and the wonderful woman he has by his side, for now and always.

Happy New Year. Happy New Decade.


End file.
